HEADLINERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2020 GREAT AMERICAN COMEDY FESTIVAL

(NORFOLK, Neb.) – The 13th Annual Great American Comedy Festival will welcome well- known, multi-talented entertainers as headliners for the Friday Showcase and Saturday Gala at the Johnny Carson Theatre.
    Actor, writer and producer David Koechner headlines the Friday, June 19th, Comedy Showcase and six-time Emmy Award-winner Wayne Brady will take the stage as the Saturday Gala headliner on Saturday, June 20th.    
    The family Comedy Magic Show kicks off the festival Thursday, June 18th, at the Johnny Carson Theatre. All shows at the theatre are at 7 p.m. There is also an Adults-Only Late Night Show at Divots on Friday, June 19th, at 10:30.
    The 13th Annual Great American Comedy Festival is presented by Nucor Steel Nebraska, Nucor Cold Finish Nebraska, Nucor Detailing Center, and Vulcraft Nebraska.
    David Koechner can currently be seen as Beau on the ABC  hit comedy,“Bless This Mess,” which is set in Nebraska.  He is also well known for his roles as Todd Packer on “The Office” and Champ Kind from “Anchorman” and “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.” He recently starred in Legendary’s “Krampus” and Roadside Attraction’s “Priceless.”
    Other TV credits include Showtime's "Twin Peaks," Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ABC’s “The Goldbergs,” and IFC's "Stan vs Evil." He also voices recurring characters on FOX’s “American Dad” and Netflix’s “F is for Family”and “All Hail King Julien.”
    An alumnus of Chicago’s Second City Theater, Koechner got his first break as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live” and has since appeared in more than 170 films and television shows.  Notable film credits include “Waiting,” “Out Cold,” “Talladega Nights,” “Get Smart,” and the dark, twisted, film festival award-winning thriller, "Cheap Thrills."
    When not filming, Koechner performs live stand-up comedy across the country and creates original content videos for his YouTube channel, “Full On Koechner.” He also co-hosts Big Slick Celebrity Weekend, an annual charity event benefitting Children’s Mercy Hospital of Kansas City.
    Wayne Brady, also a Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter, can currently be seen as the host of CBS’ "Let's Make A Deal.” His work as a regular on the improvisational comedy television series, "Whose Line Is It Anyway?",  both the original ABC and the current CW version, has been described as “off-the-cuff brilliance.”
    Brady recently appeared as a series regular on the Emmy award-winning CBS daytime drama, “The Bold and the Beautiful.” He has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy for his work on the show. He returned to his theatrical roots with a successful Broadway debut as Bill Flynn in "Chicago," and received rave reviews starring as Lola in the Tony® Award-winning production of "Kinky Boots."
His Broadway path continued with a three-month run starring as Aaron Burr in the Pulitzer Prize and Tony® Award-winning production of "Hamilton" in Chicago.
    Brady’s debut studio album, “A Long Time Coming,” earned him a Grammy nomination. He has also lent his vocal talents to both Disney's animated series "Sofia the First" and Nickelodeon's "Loud House."  
    His television credits include “Colony,” "30 Rock," "Everybody Loves Chris," "Dirt," "How I Met Your Mother," and "Don't Forget the Lyrics,” among others.
    “Once again, we are extremely pleased with our headliners for the Friday and Saturday Great American Comedy Festival shows,” said Lisa Wattier, executive director. “These multi-talented entertainers will continue our tradition of securing A-list entertainers to lead five other comedians in presenting outstanding comedy shows rarely, if ever, found in communities the size of Norfolk.”
    The annual festival opened in 2008 to honor the legacy of Norfolk’s favorite son, Johnny Carson, who was host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” for over 25 years.
    The Great American Comedy Festival is also made possible with the support of the Nebraska Arts Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment and the Norfolk Area Visitors Bureau.
    For tickets and information, visit www.greatamericancomedyfestival.com

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